COPULATORY BEHAVIOUR OF RAM, OVIS ARIES .1. A NORMATIVE STUDY

Twenty-eight Targhee and two Corriedale rams, ranging in age from 3 to 6 years, were observed in 152 copulatory behaviour tests. In each test a ram was permitted to remain with a single ewe for 1 hr or until 20 min had elapsed without a mount. The first female was then removed and replaced by a second fresh receptive ewe. Rams averaged 3·91 ejaculations with the first female and 2·38 with the second. Ejaculation frequencies with the two females were highly correlated. Mounts per ejaculation averaged 3·83 for female 1 and 3·45 for female 2. Ejaculation frequencies were not significantly correlated with the frequencies of mounts per ejaculation. Initial postejaculatory intervals with the second female were significantly less than terminal intervals with the first female, but the restoration of ability to recover from ejaculation was not complete. Initial ejaculation latencies with the two females were essentially identical. © 1969.